Author Archive - Cristina Lavecchia

Cristina is an editor and researcher at First Reference. She is a licensed paralegal and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree, Political Science major at York University. During Cristina's paralegal and undergraduate studies she studied employment standards, occupational health and safety, and workplace safety and insurance. Read more

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: a warning from the Privacy Commissioner not to reuse passwords, a company that contravened privacy law by releasing the results of an employee’s drug test and Alberta’s investigation of serious workplace health and safety incidents.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: a new type of damage that was awarded against an employer after workplace harassment was proven, a case in which expert evidence was not needed to claim damages for mental injury, and the public hearings on Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: how an employee’s decision to retrain affected his right to damages after termination, improvements to CRA services for small and medium businesses and union-friendly changes to the certification process included in Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: workplace strategies where there is a risk of impairment from cannabis, how an employer’s suspicion alone was not enough to prove an allegation of sick leave abuse and how one employer dodged a penalty after failing to adhere to re-employment obligations.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: a repeal of an increase in OAS age of eligibility, an employer’s refusal to pay bonus not amounting to constructive dismissal and the determination that an employee’s cessation of LTD benefits couldn’t advance by way of action.

Canada celebrates 150 years on July 1! In all provinces and territories, Canada Day is a statutory (public) holiday. This year, July 1 is a Saturday, a non-working day for most. Therefore, what day will employees have off work?

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: Supreme Court rules on drug-related dismissal; Harassment as an independent cause of action; and Server awarded damages for sexual harassment.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, Discovery Day is celebrated on the nearest Monday to June 24. This year, Discovery Day falls on Monday, June 26, 2017. While Discovery Day is a paid holiday for government employees in the province, it is not a statutory (public) holiday under the Labour Standards Act.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: Wages by occupation, 2016; The risks of mischaracterizing an employee as an independent contractor; and Employer ordered to pay over $53,000 for unpaid general holiday and vacation pay.

On June 21, National Aboriginal Day is celebrated in Canada. This day of recognition and celebration was established to honour the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Northwest Territories and Yukon are currently the only two jurisdictions in Canada that recognize June 21 as a statutory holiday.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: Court of Appeal upholds award to constructively dismissed McDonald’s manager; Employer proves it accommodated employee’s disability to the point of undue hardship; and Employer’s LMIA application denied due to lack of “genuineness” of job offer.

On June 7, 2017, outside of House sitting, Bill 17, Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act received royal assent. This means effective January 1, 2018, most of the new rules updating employment and labour law in union and non-union Alberta workplace will come into force.

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: Ontario Employment Standards Act reforms underway; employees awarded $15,000 each in moral damages against employer; and upcoming employment and labour law changes in Alberta.